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Ride Disaster at Calaveras Fair |
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Monday, 19 May 2008 |
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Twenty-three
people were injured late Friday evening when a swing ride at the Jumping Frog Jubilee at the Calaveras
fair grounds collapsed at nearly full speed. Witnesses on the scene said the
giant Yo-yo swing ride was at full capacity when it malfunctioned at
nearly full speed and collapsed, sending riders tumbling some 25 feet to the
ground. At least 2 air ambulances as well as several ground ambulances were
requested to land at the Frog
Town location. “We think the main motor shaft just
collapsed in the middle of the ride,” said one fair vendor. “We were afraid the
ride would collapse on top of people. Folks were screaming, it was complete
chaos.”
According to a Stockton news
source, the Yo-Yo ride at the fairgrounds near New
Melones Lake
and Columbia State Parkchain
that swing outward as the ride picks up speed. The arms rise and fall as they
spin around a center pole, putting the seats horizontal to the ground. A
Calaveras County sheriff's spokesman said three
people were severely injured and another 20 fairgoers suffered lesser injuries.
Most of the riders were children, and all suffered some form of injury. The
three most seriously injured riders, a woman and two girls, were airlifted to
three different hospitals. The fair's carnival area was immediately closed,
though other fair attractions remained open. The carnival section was expected
to remain closed until at least Saturday. Calaveras sheriff's investigators
along with Cal-OSHA inspectors were expected to look over the ride for a possible cause of the collapse. The
ride was operated at the fair by the company Midway of Fun, based in Oroville. has metal arms, each with a
seat at the end attached by a
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 01 June 2008 )
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